Fabric-forming machine



g- 13, 1929- z. R. MAULSBY ET AL 1,724,493

FABRIC FORMING MACHINE Filed March 50, 1927 4 a 4 7 I I f k L Q 6 /5 Ma Patented Aug. 13, 1929.

UNITED STATES 1,724,493 PATENT OFFICE.

ZENE R. MAULSBY AND JOHN R. MA'U'LSBY, OF EVERETT, WASHINGTON.

FABRIC-FORMING MACHINE.

Application :filed March 30, 1927. Serial No. 179,576.

This invention relates to improvements in machines for shirring cloth and other fabrics or materials; more particularly, the invention relates. to a machine for forming fabric into designs suitable for decorative purposes, such as for the lining of caskets or the like; the present invention being in the nature of an improvement over-the device shown in our pending application,

Serial Number 58,354, filed September 24,

It is the principal object of the invention to provide a machine for the above stated purpose, embodying a plurality of parallel gather bars, each bar mounting a plurality of gatherers, or pattern blocks, and wherein the fabric is formed about the gatherers and is held there by the application of an air current against the fabric while it is tacked to a suitable backing piece which serves to retain the design, or pattern, in the fabric after it has been removed from the machine.

Other objects of the invention reside in the various details of construction and combination of parts as will hereinafter be described.

In accomplishing the various objects of the invention, We have provided the improved details of construction, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein-- .Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shirring machine embodied by this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged, vertical section of a part of the same, showing the manner of mounting the gatherers, or pattern blocks, on the gather bars.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the chains for connecting the gatherers on the gather bars.

Figure 4.- is a fragmental plan view of the machine, with parts broken away for better illustration.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of a gather bar and gatherer of an alternative form.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- 1 designates a rectangular frame, or table, supported at a suitable working height by legs 2 at its four corners. The frame comprises longitudinal, opposite side beams 33 and opposite end rails 4-4; the latter having strips 5 fastened-to their outer surfaces and extended above the top surface and provided, along their top edges, with inturned flanges 5' beneath which the opposite ends of a plurality of gather bars, pres- -face of the table.

ently described, are adjustably held. Each of the gather bars comprises a pair of parallel rods 6-6 joined at their ends by con necting pieces 7. These bars are disposed lengthwise of the frame in parallel relation, with their ends resting on the end rails 4-4 beneath the flanges 5' of the plates 5, so that they may be adjusted from and toward each other.

Slidably mounted on each of the bars for' movement lengthwise thereof, is a plurality of pattern blocks, or gathers, 10. Preferably, these are stamped from sheet metal and each comprises a flat base portion 10 that overlies the bar and which has down: Wardly and inwardly curled, opposite edge portions 10 which form guide channels within which the rods 66 of the-bar are slidably contained. At one end of the base 10 is an extension 11 that projects upwardly and over the base and is then bent back to provide a horizontal top portion 12 in which a plurality of upwardly extending pins 14 are fixed. The top portions 12 of all of the gatherers lie in the same horizontal plane and they may be made in various designs, or shapes, such as rectangular, square, round, or in characteristic designs of clover leaf, diamond, or oval form as is desired.

The gatherers of each bar-are connected with each. other by means of short chains 18, or the like, each of which has an end link fastened in the base of one block and has a hook 19, at its opposite end adapted to be remoyably appliedto an aperture in the edge portion of the adjacent block. This form of connection is provided in order that the blocks on each bar'may be moved closely together and, when they are adjusted to extended relation, may be limited equally in their spaced apart relation.

Disposed above the, table, is an air hood 25. This has a fiat under wall 26 of substantially the same dimensions as the table,

and is provided with a plurality of'perforations through which air may be discharged downwardly against the table. The hood is of'pyramid form and at its apex is connected with a pipe 27 through which air, under pressure, may be supplied to the hood.

In using the device, the gather bars are first adjusted to spaced apart, parallel relation so that they extend across the top sur- The gatherers are then adjusted to extended relation by drawing them apart the distance provided for by the connecting chains. The piece of cloth to be shirred is then placed over the blocks and bars while they are in this extended relation. Air is then delivered to the hood and is directed forcibly through the apertures in the under wall of the hood against the cloth so that it will be pressed downwardly against the pattern blocks and pins in the latter projected into the cloth. Whilethe air is thus being directed against the cloth, the gather bars are moved toward each other and the gatherers are also adjusted along the bars toward each other to produce the desired shirring or gathering effect in the cloth. During this adjusting process, the

' air current retains the cloth against the blocks and prevents it from slipping from the pins in the latter, so that it may be formed about the top pieces of the blocks and will conform to the design of'the latter. After the adjustment has been made and while the air current is still in force, a backing. piece of material, as designated at 30, is placed overthe shirred piece and is tacked thereto. by use of a needle and-thread, so

' that the design will be retained on the cloth after ithas been removed from the machine. In Figure 6, we have shown an alternative form of gatherer and gather bar in which the rods 6-6 are of inwardly opening, channel form and the opposite edges of the base portion of the gatherer block are slidably contained within the channels.

Having thus described our invention, what we desire to obtain by Letters-Patent, is:

1. A fabric shirring 'machine comprising a plurality of movably mounted pattern blocks arranged in spaced relation to resent a surface over which a piece of fa ric may be spread and means disposed above said. surface for directing an air current.

against the fabric to form it about the blocks.

2.-A fabric shirring machine comprising a plurality of movably mounted pattern blocks arranged in spaced relation to present a surface over which a piece of fabric may be spread, pins in the blocks adapted for projection into the fabric and an air hood disposed over the said surface, provided with perforations through which air ,may be directed forcibly against the fabric 'toform it about the blocks.

3. A fabric shirring machine of the character described comprising a horizontal frame, a plurality of gather bars disposed .in parallel relation on the frame and ;ad-' 'justable from and toward each other, a plu- .60- rality of pattern blocks mounted on each .bar and adjustable'therealong from and toward each other, said blocks presenting a ter described comprising a horizontal frame,

.a plurality of gather bars disposed in parallel relation on the frame and adjustable from and toward each other, a plurality of pattern blocks mounted on each bar and adjustable therealong from and toward each other, said blocks presenting a surface over which a piece of fabric may be spread, an air hood disposed above the surface having a horizontal bottom wall with perforations therein through which air ma be forcibly :directed against the fabric to .orm it about the pattern blocks and flexible means connecting the pattern blocks of each bar whereby their spaced relation is limited. I

5. A device of the character described comprising'a rectangular frame with guide flanges fixed to its opposite ends, a plurality of gather bars mounted in parallel relation on the frame with their ends disposed adjustably beneath said flanges, a plurality of pattern blocks mounted on each of the bars and adjustable therealong, flexible means connecting the blocks of various bars whereby they may be drawn to extended relation and whereby the spaced relation of the blocks on a bar is limited, said blocks having top surfaces of various designs and pins projecting upwardly from said surfaces, said blocks presenting asurface over which a cloth may be spread for shirring and an air hood disposed in spaced relation closely above 'the' surface, having its bottom wall provided with perforations through which air may be forcibly discharged against a. cloth to form it about the pattern blocks.

6. In a machine of the character described,

ashirring bar comprising parallel, spaced slidably contained and having an upwardly directed portion overlying the base and a horizontally extending top portion with pins projecting upwardly therefrom. 1

this 10th Signed at Everett, Washington,

day of J an., 1927, and at Minneapolis, Minn.,

this 4th day of January, 1927.

ZENE R. MAULSBY. JOHN R. MAUL S BY. 

